I am Found

In light of my senior year and the impending transition to college, I’ve found myself questioning the ideas the world is throwing at me about college. To name a few: college is…”the first time in the big world,” “the most defining time in your life,” “the most important decision I will ever make.”

I’ve been cautioned to be careful where I choose, because it’s going to shape who I am and who I marry and what I do. The culture has warned me not to live at home or have ties at home with relationships because it will inhibit me from “figuring out who I am and finding myself.”

I honestly don’t think that’s biblical. From my understanding, there’s not a verse in scripture that instructs us to go out into the world and find ourselves. I sincerely think the gospel instructs us to do the opposite. Isaiah 43 has been on my heart lately and it speaks to this – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” You are mine.

That’s so far from a call to find myself it’s ridiculous. It’s a call to believe that I’ve been found. I am His. I already belong. I already fit in. I already know who I am. I am a daughter of the king. No more searching has to happen. No more fretting or worrying that I’ve “lost my way” or “don’t know what I’m doing with my life.” Because I’ve been found by the one who’s never going to un-find me. I know that’s not grammatically correct, but God holds me in the palm of his hand and so I’m going to be found today, tomorrow, the next day, throughout my 4 years of college…for all eternity.

Phew. That takes such an incredible weight off of my shoulders. I’m not going to college to find myself. I’ve already been found. The search is over. The price is paid. The battle has been won. Oh praise the one who raised this life up from the dead.

Because of this realization, my mindset about these decisions and this next stage of life has changed. I’m not trying to find myself anymore. Instead, I’m praying God will teach me how to rest in the fact that I am found.

Sarah Delk is a member of the Senior Class of 2011 at Circle Christian School. These words were shared with fellow students at a meeting for high school juniors.

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